The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-11

he believed that he would never
be Joyous again. Since her death he
had lived a retired life, and had for
the most part Stunned society. bat
Alice's loneliness drew him out fhim-
self, and promised him happiness once
more. He would not like his engage
ment to become generally known
among his friends for six months, out
OF respect for the feelings OF his old
loves relatives. For the present, he
begged Mrs. Ashbury to gauge his fit
ness for her daughters husband by
the strictest rules she chose to apply:
and concerning his income, he would
las indeed he did) place evidence be-
fore her to show that he was worth
at least $500 year.
Such was the explanation o.
tiers, and Mrs. Ashbury was sat:sneu,
but Alice(it was woman's whim, l
suppose,) mortified her little heart
with wonderings and questionings
about his first love, and then foolish
L. thought OF me.
Soon, with grounds or without
grounds, Alice began to suspect that
her new lovers passion was cooling,
With cause or without cause, her love
grew less. She repented; she wished
to be free. Then came into her heart
the strangest little scheme which love
in perplexity could invent. She COM
planned to her mother and to Mr..
Yewbu.ton frequently that her eyes
were effected. She saw, or pretended
to see, an oculist in London, and soon
after appeared in those hideous
glasses. Mr.. Yewburton was con-
cerned. He detested them, and never
omitted an opportunity OF saying so.
Soon Mrs. Ashbury's grief and sym
pathy wrung from Alice the secret;
and after much protesting on one side
and crying on the other, her mother
promised to keep it.
So the days passed and Mr.. Iew'
burton grew cooler; he came less often
to the house; he suggested much less
often that they should walk on the
parade, among the gay and the lovely
haunts which he was so proud TO Ire
uuent with her in the hours OF their
early love- And now the probing and
singing inquiries OF Alice's troubled
heart pressed her to harsher measur-
es. She would try him with severer
test, which came in the form OF q per-
petual sore throat and its accom-
panying ugly band.
This was too much for Mr.. Gewbur-
ton. His manner changed. He no long
ertook any pleasure in her society out
OF doors, but still paid regular, though
much less frequent, visits, and APP
parently troubled himself much about
Aice's alinents-trouble which Alice
again investigated, and decided to lie
. in vanity, and not in love.
So things dragged on for several
weeks; and then there came n change
Somewhat gradually his former man
ner returned. He came often. He
asked Alice why she never suggested a
walk on the promenade. Once more
, they sought the gay throng, and once
more Alice looked admiringly into his
handsome face, and wondered II she
could not be happy as his wife.
She confded her new happiness to
/. her mother, laughing and crying al
. ernately as she did so. She said sh'
I was afraid she did not love Mr.. Iew
i burton much, but she might learn to
And then Mrs. Ashbury, tender, com
4 passionate, motherly, seeking above
everything her child's happiness, con
fessed that she had told Mr.. Yewbur
!, ton tine secret-had told him tn,
glasses and the ugly band were moth
c ing but a fad-perhaps u test.
/. She said, expostulating:
4 "Was it not enough, child, to chill
any mans ardor to think you nigh
:. 90 blind and be permanently out o
|. health? Mr.. Yewburton is not roman
/ tic; he is thoughtful, kindly man
. and the future to him is not the IN
, possible region of n boys dream"
8 Then Alice had cried long and bitter
w. She had acknowledged the justic
d OF her mothers remarks, and said sh
!. would try to love Mr.. Iewburton
he wished to hold her to her promise
~ When matters had reached thu
point-two days only after Mrs. Ash
q bury's confession-when the mask wa
still being worn from the very uncel
d tainty and distraction OF events, r.
N turned suddenly that soft summe
d evening like n dreamiof the past int
Alice's troubled life.
h. only learned a few OF the abov
n particulars on the night ofmy arriva
! cannot describe the misery and pei
10 plexity into which was plunged; no
+. FINDER Mrs. Ashbury's guidance an
ID her assistance, played the friend an
n waited-waited for the time whic
,e Mrs. Ashbury said was at hand, whe
Mr.. Yewburton would resign his priz
~ would be glad to dissolve the eneag
ment.
n Alice, now the secret was out, ha
nj thrown of her disguise. She appeare